Celtic 3 Kilmarnock 0 Tony Mowbray tried to reason with the media last Friday after Celtic’s annual general meeting but he would be better responding to any agendas against him, real or imagined, with results such as this. As always, Kilmarnock provided obliging opposition on a day when Celtic’s manager required a convincing victory to dispel the growing doubts about him — particularly at home, where his side had won only twice in their first nine league matches.

As in Wednesday’s Co-operative Insurance Cup defeat by Hearts, plenty of chances fell Celtic’s way but the difference, as Mowbray pointed out afterwards, was that they took three of them. Nevertheless, this victory could and should have been more emphatic. Celtic were able to create opportunities at